There’s a certain amount of pressure in starting a weight loss program. Once people know you’re doing something — no mater what it is — they have something to say. Sometimes positive and really good but more often than not it begins the barrage of comments like:

Are you supposed to eat that?

Why can’t you have that?

OMG! Don’t you miss bread, I couldn’t live without bread… and chocolate!

Hearing these comments, although annoying, were really not the comments that made me so cautious… it was the comments I didn’t hear. The ones that happen 2 microseconds after I leave a room like:

Here we go again!

She’ll never finish it, she hasn’t yet!

What a waste of money!

I have no idea if those conversations actually exist but the fact that I can practically hear them in my head give them some merit and I just don’t want to be topic of anyone’s conversation. It’s bad enough that they’ll talk about me but to do it about my weight and my decades long losing battle is enough to just say forget it and run to the nearest retailer of Ben & Jerry’s.

On the night of my Ideal Protein introductory meeting I got a phone call from one of my co-workers asking me a question and I told her that I was somewhere else. I just didn’t want to hear it and truth be told I didn’t want to attention from it. I asked my husband not to tell anyone either, not lie, just not bring the topic up. After about 3 days of hiding my foil packs of IP at work and feeling like I was doing something dishonest I decided to just fess up and let it out and face whatever positive or negative attention that came from it.

When I was finally open I found that I felt better and it was nice to have some more accountability and I really thrive on being held accountable when I’m on a program. Left to my own devices is dangerous. Not only have people been supportive I’ve even had a co-worker join AND one of my best friends. Although I only have a 10 day head start on them it’s nice to have them ask me questions and I can share what I’ve learned and seen from the blogs and the forums.

Weight is such a difficult and embarrassing subject but now especially I can see the value of friends through this process and I hope to truly embrace the strength in numbers.

How are you when you’re on a program? Do you like to be alone or do you like accountability partners?